Hole in Vagina

@blinkin @colleenyoung Coming up on four month anniversary of my hysterectomy and I have nothing good to report. I've been in and out of the hospital with sepsis, blocked colon, of course the on going fistula, and absess. I've taken a ton of antibiotics. Made appointment with arogynocologist, who kept me waiting 45 minutes in his cold examination room, and then explained that he could not see me because I was still under the care of the cancer-gynocologist (I was sick for a week following with a cold thing). So, I have no more answers. I've had 8 or 9 CT scans and one more on the 31st. Think there are no answers for me. My health has deteriorated so there's no chance I can travel. Think my "medical team" has no answer. I know I have no answer. BTW, the results of the surgery were cancer free - they just wanted to do a pre chemo treatment. Please update on how you are doing.
For Colleen: can I request a review of my records by, say, Mayo Arogynocologists, without a physical visit?

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@trishanna, I'm so sorry to learn that you have come no closer to the resolve of your complicated issues. Please don't give up! I wish I could advise you as to which way to turn from here and I know you feel you are at a dead end with no way out. I felt that way as well, even though my situation, though involved, was not nearly as complicated or debilitating as yours. I cried with relief when my surgeon said he was willing to reverse my colostomy. You asked me to report how I am doing and I am almost embarrassed to say that I'm doing quite well. I had the 'take-down' of the colostomy in mid-June, spent 2 days in the hospital and am overjoyed at not having 'the bag' anymore. My surgeon did the EUA procedure (twice) and a Barium enema study in an attempt to locate the fistula in the weeks prior. When all these efforts did not find one, he concluded that it had healed and proceeded with the take down. He did his exams rectally however and I wonder if a gynecologist would find it. I feel that I still have the fistula even though I have had absolutely no output from the vagina since early January of this year. I did feel that I occasionally passed gas from the vagina though and it seems that I still do once in awhile..usually when I feel there is stool coming down into the rectal area before a BM. I will not further pursue it though unless I begin to again pass stool from there. Things are not exactly as they were before all this began about a year ago. Instead of one a.m. BM daily, I now go several times a day. I have been able to control the BM's, which was a worry for me and my surgeon. I learned to recognize when I needed to go to the bathroom-the sensations are a little different now. Also, I have not been in a situation where a bathroom is not available within a few minutes time so I'm unsure how successful my control would be in that case.

I wish the best for you. Please don't give up! I was hesitant to seek out medical help away from my location but even though we had many trips over 1 1/2 hours one way and several overnights in hotels, in the end it was worth the effort and expense. I did extensive online research to find the surgeon who claims he "didn't do much" and I had to wait less than 3 weeks for my first appointment. He has been published for his findings in rectal/colon surgery, techniques, and one of the highlighted areas of expertise was take down of colostomy.

Wishing you the best-please don't give up!

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Trish, yes, virtual visits are sometimes an option for appointments before, after or in place of face-to-face care. Appointment coordinators will recommend a virtual visit if it best fits your individual needs. Read more about Virtual Visits at Mayo Clinic here: https://www.mayoclinic.org/covid-19

Inquire further and request an appointment here: http://mayocl.in/1mtmR63

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@blinken So happy to hear you are doing so well. I think your story shows how important research is in helping with our own treatments. I have been hesitant to go outside our medical facilities but the non answers continue to pile up. All my only surgeon can offer is major surgery to "fix" a partial colon block. Last week, had a CT scan (9 or 10) with Contrast. Ended up with pain of a month ago. Third time I've thought fistula might be closing. Each time, some procedure insisted upon reopened it. I ask questions about diarrhea, colon problems, etc., and receive only vague answers. Have not been referred to a colorectal\prostrate surgeon at all. Think my surgeon thinks she knows it all. So, thanks to Colleen Young, I'm going to make an appointment with a Mayo colorectal surgeon. Do you think as I see a decrease in discharge vaginally that that could be a sign of healing? Are you instructed to avoid diarrhea, which is another area my medical team sabotages over and over. Hope I am doing the right thing, but I look like a refugee from a horrible concentration camp. Think if I survive my surgeon's wide open surgery, I'd spend the rest of my life in a nursing home. Look at the damage from the hysterectomy! Take care.

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